Chapter 5: My Father's Last Warning
I didn't sleep that night.
At two in the morning, I sat in my father's old study, staring at the photograph on his desk.
He was wearing his favorite brown jacket, standing beside the garden swing with a younger version of me.
I remembered the last months of his life.
He had become quieter.
Sometimes he would stop talking when Sofia entered the room. Other times, he would ask me strange questions about our finances.
I had assumed he was worried about getting older.
Now I wondered whether he had been trying to warn me.
At 7:15 the next morning, Richard arrived.
Daniel had asked him to come directly to his office, but Richard insisted on meeting us at the house because he wanted my mother to hear everything.
He was in his early forties, with tired eyes and a dark coat.
When I opened the door, he looked at me for several seconds.
“I'm sorry, Mateo.””
I stepped aside.
“Come in.””
Mom was sitting in the living room with Isabel.
She looked exhausted.
Richard approached her.
“Mrs. Reyes.””
“Richard.””
She studied his face.
“Why didn't you tell us?””
He lowered his eyes.
“I tried. Your daughter-in-law made sure I couldn't.””
Sofia appeared at the top of the staircase.
She was wearing a white blouse and carrying her phone.
“Why is he here?””
I looked up.
“Because I invited him.””
“He has no business being in this house.””
Richard turned toward her.
“Actually, Sofia, I have quite a lot of business here.””
She descended the stairs.
“Don't start.””
Richard removed a folder from his coat.
“I brought copies of the records.””
Sofia stopped halfway down.
“What records?””
“The transfers. The company registration. And the emails between you and your father-in-law.””
My heart skipped.
“Emails?””
Richard nodded.
“Your father asked me to help him review some suspicious transactions four years ago.””
I looked at him.
“You worked with my father?””
“Not officially. We were friends. I helped him with bookkeeping for a small investment property he owned.””
“Why didn't he tell me?””
“Because he didn't want to frighten you before he understood what was happening.””
Sofia laughed.
“This is absurd.””
Richard opened the folder.
“Your father discovered that money was being moved out of an account he controlled. He traced several payments to a company connected to you.””
I looked at Sofia.
“Was that Westbridge?””
“No,” Richard answered.
“That company didn't exist yet.””
He placed a document on the table.
The company was called Silver Oak Consulting.
It had been established under a different name, with Sofia listed as a consultant.
My mother looked confused.
“Why would my husband give her money?””
“He didn't,” Richard replied.
“Someone accessed his online banking credentials.””
Sofia shook her head.
“You have no proof.””
Richard took out another sheet.
“Your father obtained the bank's security report. The transactions were made from a device registered to this house.””
I looked at Sofia.
She crossed her arms.
“Lots of people used the Wi-Fi.””
Richard nodded.
“That's true. Which is why he asked the bank to investigate further.””
He turned another page.
The security report showed a series of logins from a laptop registered under Sofia's personal email address.
My chest tightened.
“Dad knew?””
“He suspected. He wanted to confront you both, but he became ill before he could finish the investigation.””
I sat down.
The room felt smaller.
“What happened to the money?””
Richard opened the folder again.
“Some of it was recovered. Some wasn't.””
“How much was lost?””
“Approximately eighty-five thousand dollars.””
My mother pressed a hand against her chest.
“Eighty-five thousand?””
Richard nodded.
“Your husband didn't tell you because he was afraid you'd blame yourself for trusting Sofia.””
I looked toward the staircase.
Sofia was no longer there.
She had disappeared upstairs.
I stood.
“I'm going to talk to her.””
Daniel, who had just entered the room, stopped me.
“Not alone.””
“I need answers.””
“And you'll get them. But I don't want another confrontation that allows important evidence to disappear.””
He looked at Richard.
“Do you have the original emails?””
“Yes.””
“Good. Send everything to me.””
Richard handed him a flash drive.
Then he reached into his folder and removed a sealed envelope.
“This is the most important thing.””
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
My father's.
My name was written across the front.
Mateo.
My fingers trembled as I took it.
“Where did you get this?””
“He gave it to me three days before he died. He asked me to deliver it if the situation ever became serious.””
I looked at my mother.
She nodded slowly.
“Read it, sweetheart.””
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a single handwritten letter.
My dear Mateo,
If you're reading this, something has happened that I hoped I could prevent.
I know you love Sofia. I know you believe that love means trusting someone even when the world gives you reasons to doubt them.
But trust should never require you to ignore the truth.
I discovered transactions involving our family accounts. I also discovered that Sofia has been asking questions about the house, the insurance policy, and the ownership documents.
I don't know how far this will go.
I have secured the original property deed and placed copies of the relevant financial records somewhere safe.
Whatever happens, protect your mother.
She has spent her entire life protecting you.
And Mateo, there is something else you must know.
The house is not simply your mother's inheritance.
There is a legal restriction attached to it that prevents anyone from selling or transferring it without the consent of a second beneficiary.
I have deliberately kept that information private.
Find the original trust agreement.
You'll understand why.
Love, Dad.
I lowered the letter.
“Second beneficiary?””
Daniel took it carefully.
“Did your father ever mention a trust?””
“No.””
My mother shook her head.
“He told me the house was protected, but he never explained the details.””
Richard looked uncomfortable.
“I know about the trust.””
I turned toward him.
“You do?””
He nodded.
“Your father asked me to witness the original agreement.””
“Who is the second beneficiary?””
Richard looked toward the staircase.
Before he could answer, Sofia appeared.
She was holding a small leather document case.
“I think it's time everyone stopped digging into things they don't understand.””
Daniel stood.
“Mrs. Reyes, what's in that case?””
“Personal documents.””
“Please put it on the table.””
She laughed.
“No.””
I stepped forward.
“Sofia, what's in the case?””
Her eyes met mine.
For a moment, I saw fear.
Then she slowly placed it on the dining table.
Daniel opened it.
Inside were several property records, old bank statements, and a folded legal agreement.
He examined the first page.
Then he stopped.
“Mateo,” he said quietly.
“What?””
“This is the trust agreement your father mentioned.””
He turned it around.
At the bottom were two beneficiary names.
Elena Reyes.
And another name.
I leaned closer.
My mother's name appeared first.
The second name belonged to someone I had known my entire life.
*Mateo Reyes.*
I looked up.
“So I'm a co-beneficiary?””
Daniel nodded.
“More importantly, the agreement requires both beneficiaries to approve any sale, transfer, or mortgage of the property.””
I looked at Sofia.
Her lips were pressed together.
“You knew about this?””
She said nothing.
Daniel continued reading.
Then his eyebrows rose.
“There's a third clause.””
“What clause?””
He turned the page.
“If either beneficiary is subjected to coercion, fraud, or attempted unlawful removal from the property, the trustee has the authority to suspend any pending transaction.””
My mother stared at him.
“Who is the trustee?””
Daniel read the name.
Then he looked at Richard.
Richard slowly nodded.
“Your father chose me.””
I felt a chill run down my spine.
My father hadn't simply left behind a warning.
He had prepared for something like this.
And he had chosen the one person Sofia had spent years trying to keep away from our family.
But Sofia suddenly laughed.
A strange, bitter laugh.
“You're all celebrating too early.””
I turned toward her.
“What does that mean?””
She picked up her phone.
“Because you still don't know who actually owns Westbridge Holdings.””
Daniel frowned.
“We have the company filings.””
Sofia looked directly at me.
“Those filings are only part of the story.””
Then she tapped her screen.
A notification appeared on Daniel's phone.
He read it.
And his expression changed.
May you like
The message was from the lender.
*The loan had already been approved.*
